


New Beginnings

by ChelseaEllie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, winter13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-27 08:42:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21389323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelseaEllie/pseuds/ChelseaEllie
Summary: When Sharon goes to visit her Aunt's grave she bumps into someone she wasnt expecting to see, which changes her relationships slightly.Im terrible at summaries.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sharon Carter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this is my first Winter13 story, and first Marvel story, I hope you enjoy it, please leave comments. Im not sure if I should carry it on, or leave it as it is. 
> 
> Its taken me months to write as I was pretty unsure about how this will be taken. So please feed back if you like it.

It was getting towards dusk when Sharon approached the graveyard. It had been too long since she had come here, she wasn’t sure why she put it off, fear, or maybe it drove home the reality that she was alone, or maybe a little guilt of her dalliance with her now uncle. Whatever the reason it was just an excuse. Peggy deserved to know she wasn’t forgotten.

White flowers in hand she pulled her coat closer around herself as a night chill started to tease her. 

She had picked dusk as there would be fewer people around and she could talk in peace.

So, when she saw her aunt already had a visitor she froze. Yes, there had been a change when Steve returned to his own time, but the children they had were in their 60’s. Their children were not local. This wasn’t them. She didn’t know who would be here, trying to get a glance she couldn’t place him. Slim, short hair but tall. In biker leathers. In his 30’s he was crouched in front of her headstone. 

She didn’t want to intrude as he spoke to her and without turning so, she could see his face he moved deeper into the grave yard as though to visit another. She watched his purposeful walk and once he was out of sight, she moved to her aunts resting place. It was preserved beautifully with fresh flowers and no weeds. This triggered slight guilt with Sharon that a stranger had put in that effort. Yet she hadn’t visited for so long.

“Hi Aunt Peggy, it’s been too long, I miss our chats, there is so much I need to tell you”

She proceeded to tell all the stories of Thanos and what happened since then.” I guess it’s lucky you missed all that, “she chuckled, kissing her fingers and tapping them to the headstone, “I promise not to leave it so long”. She meant it.

It had become nearly pitch black, with graveyards historically not needing much night lighting, as the sun had gone so had all the light.

She fumbled for her phone to use as a light and cursed herself that she had left it charging on her bedside table. Nothing more to it than shoving her hands into her pockets and walking towards any light that could suggest an exit.

The end was in sight, electric signs danced in the distance, she focused on them for guidance which was a mistake, as she walked right into a motorbike.

Two thoughts went through her mind as it fell to the floor, the first was please don’t be badly damaged, the second was she hopped no one would know she was a special agent as the shame of walking into a solid object after her training would be too much. 

“Hello Agent Carter” came a voice she vaguely recognised. As the motorbike was easily raised from the ground. More easily that it should have been her mind was yelling at her as she tried to put the pieces together. 

He clearly took pity on her, turning on the bike’s headlight, or he was checking for damage. As he walked around checking it out, she realised who he was. 

“Sargent Barnes” she countered. 

He flashed her a smile, and suddenly she understood his reputation as a lady’s man, in his current state being much cleaner and more conventional he was attractive, even more so when he smiled.

He finished checking the bike, “No damage, but maybe I should drop you home, or near too home to prevent you walking into anything else” there was a teasing tone she had never expected to hear from him, and it was only then that she realised she was gripping on to her gun. “You can keep your gun out if you feel safer” he appeared resigned to being mistrusted, and didn’t question it. So many years of being hunted and dangerous had taken its toll.

Rather than answer the first thing that came from her mouth was “Why are you at my aunt’s grave?”

“I miss her too, for you it was 70 years, for me a year or two, all the others are forgotten, but I saw her before my last mission, now she’s dead. I worked alongside her for a good number of years, until......” he didn’t finish the sentence, but Sharon easily could, until hydra, he died, he became a weapon with no choice, no free will. She wished she could give him the compassion he deserved. But she too had been on the end of his programming, and whilst she knew it wasn’t him, it was still her, and that doesn’t fade so easily. The Bruises were there for weeks from being slammed into a table. He just walked it off.

“Put this on,” he took off the leather jacket he was wearing, “let’s limit your accidents” this time a wink, which masked the slight glint of light hitting his metal arm. She knew better than to argue. He could jump from a high rise building no impact as part of his super soldier powers, the jacket swamped her, and when he fitted the helmet to her she was glad of the darkness, should him looking so closely at her give away any hints of fear. Like Aunt Peggy she didn’t want to allow anyone to see her worried. Plus, there was an underlying guilt as she knew it wasn’t him. It was not his choice to attack her, but it was still her who was hurt. Not the easiest thing to forgive,

He had slipped a thin hoodie over his dark T-shirt, clearly to cover his metal arm as it offered little warmth, she didn’t think twice about wrapping her arms tightly around him. Feeling his chest move as he breathed deeply, then felt him chuckle as the engine engaged and they were under way. She was going to question this reaction but she knew deep down that he was interested by her reaction to him.

Even after they had stopped, she remained tightly attached to him. Eyes shut, enjoying the freedom that being on the back of a bike allowed her. She missed her short-lived rebellious stage where she dated bikers and bad boys as a teen to get attention. That was before Aunt Peggy took her under her wing and allowed her to find her place in the world. With everything that had happened she was tempted to run back to that. Maybe she should have visited her Aunt earlier. Maybe the stuff with Steve had caused a slight rift between them.

His sudden movement to get off the bike shocked her out of her daze, she loosened her grip on him and nearly jumped off the bike. He chuckled at her. She was grateful for the helmet as he couldn’t see her blush. Even once it was removed, the low light from the aging street lights and the cloud limited her vision and the cool air helped. Looking around she realised she was very close to her apartment, clearly, he didn’t know where she lived, or if he did, he was playing coy.

She started taking the jacket off. But he shook his head. The air had a cool nip too it.

“Can I walk you home? Or as close as you are comfortable with me taking you?” he smiled.

“I can take care of myself” she chuckled.

“I know you can. I never wanted to suggest that you can’t. Just am saying you don’t need to, plus a few minutes of chatting would be nice.”

“There’s a late-night cafe just over there, how about we get pie and coffee and you can tell me what Peggy was like, she spoke of you”.

He looked shocked, really taken aback, Sharon justified the reaction as confusion, as Steve was the golden boy, the hero of everyone’s stories, so that him featuring for anything other than his enforced crimes were unusual. He had expected to drop her off and that would be that. Here she was offering more company. Too often he stayed in the shadows it had been a long time since he had a meal with someone who wasn’t Steve. 

“Lead the way” he replied with a slight crack in his voice.

* * *

The Café was busier than she had expected, so they had taken a booth near the back, left for regulars. It was a little out of the way and more cozy that she had wanted. Perfect for him, he had spent so many years living in the shadows trying not to be noticed he welcomed it. It was unlikely anyone would be looking out for him anymore, plus he looked so different, even she kept reminding herself who he was.

He intensely studied the menu, more than she thought was necessary. Yet when he felt her eyes on him, he looked up with a fake cocky smile. “So, what’s good here?”

“Burger and shake, my guilty pleasure, don’t tell my personal trainer”

She watched as he shifted his body, dropping his metal hand, even though it was covered with a glove, under the table as the waitress approached. Shrinking into himself. Making himself look smaller.

“Sharon, lovely to see you” she beamed, not even hiding her curious look at Bucky, looking him up and down. “your usual?” The waitress beamed at Sharon, dismissing him quickly, he clearly wasn’t interesting to her. Which allowed Bucky to breath comfortably for a few seconds.

“Yes, please Tracy, how is your son? Did he sort things out with his wife?”

“Not yet, she is taking some time to think about it, it’s a shame you were never single at the same time. I would have loved you as a daughter in law”

“That’s so kind, but I think after my last two attempts at relationships …….”

“So, this isn’t a date” Bucky interjected deadpan, with a slight wink only Sharon could see.

Sharon didn’t know how to react. So, she punched him softly in the arm, delighted that it was his right arm she connected with. As she knew his mental arm would hurt her a lot.

“If I have to pay for your company its’ not a date” she teased more than she had expected to.

“But I’m worth it” He replied. Flashing her a smile that would have won him a lot of young ladies’ hearts when he was a younger man. Her stomach flipped slightly. No Sharon she told herself this isn’t in plans.

Tracy wasn’t sure what was going on. But her fondness for Sharon caused her to glare at Bucky. “What can I get for you” she fixed him with a glare that confirmed to Sharon that she had no idea she was threatening one of the deadliest assassins the country had ever known. She just saw him as a barrier to the perfect daughter in law.

“Burger and Strawberry shake please” he replied softly.

She glanced at Sharon to judge her bemused reaction. “Coming right up” mouthing you can do better, as she walked away.

“She has no idea who you are” chuckled Sharon, “I’m guessing you will get the, ‘don’t hurt her speech’ when I go to the bathroom. Poor Steve he didn’t know how to react when she did that to him” she was trying to keep her laughter to a minimum so not to upset Tracy. 

“Steve was always a little uncomfortable around people” he smiled. “I’m sorry for how things ended with you two, I had hoped it would work out, you seemed to like each other.” His tone changed and softened.

“I guess we did, he’s a great guy, this is strange talking about this with you”. She looked at him closely “I look at you and forget you are over 100 years old. Tell me about growing up in such a different time”

A few stories about how Steve would get himself into trouble and pick fights with much bigger boys and Bucky would step in, Sharon was laughing away. More so when he told a tale of when Steve caught some of the boys stealing Mr Croft’s milk, so he confronted them, to be caught by one of the neighbours who thought it was him, and only the street busybody Mrs Jones cleared his name.

Just after they had finished eating Sharon’s phone buzzed and she looked at it frustrated, shaking her head, she signed and looked at him. “Sorry I have to go, emergency at work.” She signalled for the bill.

“Can I give you a lift?” he asked.

“No, I’m good they are sending a car, should be outside in 4 minutes” She was frustrated as she was enjoying the evening. Which if she was honest, she never expected to enjoy. They paid and walked outside, she took of his jacket and handed it back.

“Good night, and thank you again for a nice evening” He smiled at her, pulling his leather jacket back on. As a car pulled up besides them.

She smiled at him then reacted to open the car door. Pulling it towards her she took a deep breath and turned around, “Bucky”

He stopped and turned. Curious.

She slowly walked towards him, and wrapped her arms around his neck, forcefully kissing him, he didn’t object and responded, his arms snaking around her waist pulling her closer to him. They paused, resting foreheads against each other. She smiled at him and stepped away, “We should do this again, and soon”

“Yes Ma’am” he replied.

They parted ways, and sitting in the car she kept thinking how she wish they had exchanged numbers, how good he tasted, and how he was not what she expected.

* * *

Sharon was running late for work so she pulled on a plain white shirt and a plain skirt. And tied her hair up in a pony tail. Grabbing a coffee, she dashed in to the conference room, the briefing had started so she found an empty seat at the back. It was crowded so must be important, often people avoided them if they could get away with it. This was mandatory.

One of the directors was stood at the front of the room detailing the events and what would be covered. The Large TV behind him displayed key points.

  * Strategic planning
  * Security changes
  * Public relations
  * New appointments
  * Falcon and the Avengers

This was normal, the six-monthly check in policy to tell staff basic information about what was happening. Often one of the Avengers would turn up for what always felt like PR to Sharon, just making sure agents wouldn’t over react when meeting one of them. This time it seemed to be Sam, it made sense with Steve handing him the shield. But she felt a little let down as she was friendly with Sam, would have liked a heads up and maybe lunch with him. He was always so high energy and so full of life. He was a nice distraction from her normal life and day to day work.

48 and a half minutes had passed she felt like she experienced every second 6 times over. This was probably the dullest briefing she had been subjected too. Which was an achievement by itself.

Her friend Jeff sat down next to her, he looked like he had been involved in a pretty manic night and hadn’t got changed before arriving at work. She straightened his tie for him, he mouthed at her to see if he had missed anything important, which she communicated that he hadn’t, it was nothing new, more or less clamping down and repeating stuff that was known. Security protocol after Hydra and the loss of key personnel.

Sitting at the back was an advantage she was less in the focus than others so when Jeff pulled out his phone to show pictures of the very messy stage night he was on, she missed Sam joined by Fury and a few others make their appearance. The loud cheering drew her attention back to the stage. Sam was strutting around in full Falcon costume, seconds away from displaying his wings. Much like a peacock. He was always good for these events. Always very keen to show all his skills. He loved attention and drama. Steve was always bemused and telling her stories of when he was forced to be a morale boasting act, which made him hate the show for the sake of it, Shield were all very professional so knew what was at stake.

Fury started asking him about what he had been up to, and in typical Sam style he told stories of various feats of achievement. The TV sprang into action, light dimmed and Bruce appeared, Sharon watched Sam as he walked off to the side, having clearly spotted someone, Sam was known for his random disappearances. Bruce gave his traditional pep talk. The lights came up again and Fury turned to address the crowd again.

“With the loss of Steve Rogers, we find ourselves looking for more support for our more complicated missions. So, I’m happy to confirm that Sargent James Barnes has agreed to join us”

There was a muted murmuring around the room, as Sam returned with a clearly uncomfortable Bucky, hood up, hat down trying to cover as much if his face as he could. He was slouched tying too look smaller than he was, with his metal arm buried in a pocket covering as much as he could. He smiled uncomfortably, not the warm smiles he had shared with her last time they were together. She squeezed past Jeff and made her way closer to the front. There was an uneasy air as most agents knew the Winter Soldier’s reputation. Sam draped his arm around Bucky who looked like he wanted to be anywhere other than there. Fury carried on talking about how Sam and Bucky would work together with the aim of filling the gap Steve had left. Bucky looked to be fighting the urge to run, when he caught Sharon’s eye, he smiled warmly at her for a second before catching himself. Sharon smiled back pleased that Sam hadn’t caught on. It had been 3 weeks since their dinner and kiss. She had thought a lot about that night a lot, more than she expected too. She wasn’t sure what it meant or why she had kissed him, but she didn’t regret it. Maybe it was because she was wasn’t over Steve, or maybe he was the first guy who she could be herself around, or maybe he was just cute and fun. Still she was sure it wasn’t going to happen again.

Fury finished off the briefing asking if there were any questions. But stating that he wouldn’t be answering anything about Bucky as they hadn’t clarified the role yet, but instructed the agents to treat him with respect. Which mean there were no questions. Suddenly the room emptied. Fury was chatting to a few senior agents. Sam was flirting with some pretty young agents. Bucky was uncomfortably stood near Sam. Sharon grabbed his hand and dragged him away. She used her ID to open a private meeting room. Pulling him into the room she slammed him up against a wall. He looked startled. She gazed into his icy blue eyes for far longer than she intended.

“That’s one way to say Hello” he chuckled as his body language eased. She stepped back.

“Oh dear, that wasn’t meant to happen” she laughed, “You just looked so overwhelmed and like it was the last place you wanted to be.” Giving him some space.

“Sam’s idea you mean? I’m sure why I should ever trust him, I told him I wasn’t ready to be around so many people, but he said just jump in, suddenly I was surrounded by everyone”

“Next time ask me, before you agree to anything with Sam”

“Maybe I should trust your advice” he smiled, “That burger was brilliant!” She flashed back to their kiss, his lips, his taste, his arms around her, and flushed slightly. Dismissing it as a one-off, heat of the moment thing. Knowing she could very well be in denial.

“How long should we wait in here?” he questioned, looking nervous.

“A few more minutes, I’m sure Sam will call you when he notices you are missing”

“You underestimate how long Sam will be side tracked by a pretty woman, Other however may notice. Do you think they will happily let the Winter Solider walk around here” he laughed. ” Besides I don’t have a phone.”

“Let’s wait here until we find out” She sat in one of the chairs, watching as he purposely moved away and sat far way from her. Maybe he was uncomfortable being around her, she had dated Steve. The had been talking about Steve. “You don’t have a phone” she forced herself to focus.

“Never really needed one, I was either on the run, or on a farm. And with Steve gone I don’t really have any friends everyone I know is dead or works with the Avengers”

“We are fixing that, we will get you a phone, and I will show you how to use it, Sam will just add too many strange apps.”

“Apps?”

“I will also try to help you understand the phone” she chuckled, and was rewarded with a smile.

“Life was easier when I was young” he smiled. I don’t know how to fit in these days”

“You will adjust, but let some people in to help you, Sam is trying in his own way, trust him”

“It was easier when Hydra just updated me with all the details, and I didn’t need to think.” He started pacing the room.

She dashed to him and grabbed his arm. “Don’t talk like that”

“I never asked for this, I wanted a quiet life, a decent job, a family, and friends, but Im destined to be this, so may was well use what they made me to undo the evil I did”

“You can still have it all”

“Really? Who would want to be with an ex assassin?”

“You are more than that, you are fun, and charming and seriously hot, girls will fall at your feet once they get to know you” she chuckled. “Girls love a reformed bad boy” she got closer to him with every step glancing at his lips.

“In here!” shouted a delighted Sam as he burst into the room startling Sharon so she moved away. Panicking about what Sam had seen. Bucky noticed her reaction, and looked crestfallen. She was clearly shamed by their connection. Happy to be close in private he assumed. Less so in public.

Bucky grimaced at Sam. “You told me it would be a few people and very low key, not that song and dance you performed.” He crossed his arms. His frustrated stance was very daunting, Sharon thought it was going to take time to adjust to.

“You know me, I like to give the people what they want, and they want me” Sam bragged.

“Yes, we know you Sam, next time listen to common sense” Sharon winked at him.

“Common sense just takes away all the fun” he chuckled, draping an arm around Bucky. “Since when are you two friends? You just like being around really old men?”

“Steve asked me to keep an eye on him should this ever happen” she grumbled, “He always worried that he would be on a mission when Bucky returned and you would do something crazy. This isn’t a simple situation.”

“You underestimate me” Sam beamed “I have everything planned out; Bucky knows his place in all of this, we all need an ex frozen soldier on our side. He can just take over for Steve.”

“I can make my own choices, thank you” Bucky wiggled free of Sam and walked towards the door, “I think all of this has been a mistake, I’m going to find Fury. Goodbye!”

He walked out of the room followed by two guards. Sam and Sharon just watched, confused as to what happened.

* * *

It was 3 weeks before Sharon saw him again, he was sat in the Shield canteen with a coffee and a burger. Hood up and in the emptiest part, away from everyone, reading a book, classic tricks to not be noticed. It was working. No one around seemed to take much notice of him, which she knew wouldn’t be the case as most people would be curious about him. Sam, Fury and Hawkeye were in one of the larger booths, and whilst they were regularly around, they still drew a lot of attention, whispers and people making double takes. Which was why the lack of attention on Bucky surprised her.

Taking her lunch, she pulled up a seat at his table. “Is this seat taken?”

He looked up from his book, no emotion showing on his face. And looked down to his book again. She glanced at the cover, 1984, and hoped that Sam hadn’t told him it was a history book.

“How have you been?” she tried to start a conversation.

“Look Sharon, I don’t want to just be another favour to you, a promise you made to Steve, a replacement for him, if it’s alright with you I want to finish my chapter alone” he returned to reading.

She sat silently eating and waited until he put his book down.

“You are not a favour to Steve, or a replacement, I like you, I honestly do, you are refreshing and real and one of the only people who has really made me laugh in a long time. I want to be your friend.”

He watched her closely. “I have spent 70 years being controlled and used by other people, you can’t expect me to be happy drifting back into that, you, Sam, Fury, Steve can’t make me into what you want. I’m not a replacement Steve for you, a project to shape because of what has happened.”

“I never wanted you to be Steve, or a project, who you are is who I like, I haven’t meet anyone like you, and I really don’t want to change you,” She reached over to hold his hand, he flinched but didn’t move away, “I want to be on this journey with you, not change you”.

He smiled slightly, “You don’t want me to be Steve?”

“Certainly not, Steve is a good guy, but he’s hard work. You can’t swear around him.” She chuckled. “I want you to be you, and if you don’t want to work with Sam, I will stand by you.”

“Sam is ok, just a bit excited about this whole hero stuff, he’s like Steve used too be. Someone needs to be with him to stop him getting hurt.”

“I fully agree” she laughed, having watched Sam in the medical bay more often than was necessary.

He glanced at a watch he had on his wrist, and scowled slightly. “Sorry I have to go to a meeting, but we should meet later, the dinner we ate at before, say 8?”

She nodded slightly trying to hid her glee, “That sounds nice see you there”. She waited until he had gone to smile the biggest smile she had in months.


End file.
